42 Best Places to Shop in Belize

Punta rocker and internationally known Garifuna artist Pen Cayetano displays his bold, colorful paintings at his studio and gallery at his home in Dangriga. Works by his wife, Ingrid, and daughter, Mali, are also displayed. The house, built around 1900 and totally redone by Cayetano, including painted murals on the exterior walls, alone is worth a visit, as it is one of the most interesting old buildings in Dangriga.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, local coffee and cacao beans, and some craft items are sold at indoor and outdoor stalls at the central plaza near the clock tower. The busiest market days usually are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, but this is a quieter affair with not as much activity as the market on Front Street.

Wednesday and Saturday are the big market days in the area along Front Street near the Civic Center, with Monday and Friday seeing a bit less activity. You'll find food stalls, and vendors selling fruit and vegetables, chocolate, and copal incense, reputed to be useful for energy cleansing. Some crafts and miscellaneous household items are for sale here. (Look carefully: Many of the crafts here come from neighboring Guatemala.) This is an earthier market than the goings-on at the Central Plaza.

You'll recognize this little shop by the beautiful mural of hibiscus blooms; inside you'll discover paintings by American artist Paulette Salo and craft pieces by Maya and other Belizean artists. This is a great spot to find meaningful souvenirs.

This reasonably priced store delivers groceries, which can also be ordered online, all over San Pedro Town.

This permanent market has a couple dozen stalls with friendly vendors selling ziricote wood carvings, Maya masks, weavings, handmade dolls, jewelry, trinkets, and other goods, some of which are made on the island. 

Save-U Supermarket is a good place for groceries, liquor, and sundries.

Many local residents buy their groceries at Super Buy, which has lower prices.

Even if you don't love Belize's signature beer, Belikin merch makes a distinctive gift. After all, only one country in the world has Belikin.

The Greenhouse has a trove of healthy ingredients like microgreens that may rival Whole Foods for priciness.

For gaudy geegaws and unabashedly touristy souvenirs, the Toucan Gift Shops, including Toucan Too, all sporting the bright green, yellow, and red Toucan logo, are hard to miss.

Wine De Vine has a great curated selection of wines and imported cheeses, at prices (due to import taxes) roughly double the cost in the United States. It supplies wine to most fine restaurants on the cayes.